The Mansehra district administration announced on Saturday that the Naran road has been reopened to light traffic after being closed for several days due to landslides and flooding. At the same time, rescue teams continue to search for missing tourists along the Babusar Highway in Diamar, Gilgit Baltistan.
Recent monsoon-triggered floods have caused severe destruction across Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly in the Diamer and Baltistan regions. Multiple villages have been badly affected, communication routes disrupted, and key infrastructure, including water channels, electricity poles, and crops, destroyed.
According to Faizullah Firaq, spokesperson for the government of Gilgit Baltistan, nine villages along the Babusar Highway have been devastated, including Sharat, Dasar, Jal, Gianchi, Sare, Parika, Deore, Alam Khan, Ghani Khan, Deong, and Loshi. However, search and rescue operations are ongoing in these affected areas to locate those tourists still missing.
He emphasises that several tourists stranded in the famous tourist hotspot, Fairy Meadows, were airlifted via helicopter to Islamabad, while evacuation efforts for others have still been underway.
Mr Firaq says the Silk Road at Chilas Thor Minar and the Karakoram Highway have both been restored for all types of traffic, easing access for relief teams.
He mentioned that relief operations are in full swing. In Diamer district alone, over 300 tents, more than 300 food packets, 50 kitchen sets, and over 500 blankets have been distributed. While in Baltistan, 111 tents and hundreds of food packages and blankets were provided to affected people.
The GB government spokesperson said that Chief Minister Haji Gulbar would address a news conference along with the cabinet today about the flood crisis and outline ongoing rehabilitation efforts.
According to the Mansehra Rescue 1122, 35 tourists have been safely rescued in the tourist hotspot, Naran, who were stranded after a heavy mudslide brought by raging floods.
